Moon Knight3: Vengeance of the Talon
by Gemini14
Summary: Once again, Yukito and the girls are whisked away to Cephiro, but this time Sakura goes with them. What new crisis has befallen Cephiro, and will they be able to set things straight again?
1. Chapter One

Moon Knight3: Vengeance of the Talon

Chapter One: The New Crisis

Yukito dashed out of the house, after saying a rushed goodbye to his grandparents. He was late, again. He'd promised to be on time, but he just couldn't seem to do that. He was in such a rush that he didn't notice Sakura and Touya going in the opposite direction.

"Yuki!" Touya shouted, but didn't get a response.

"Yukito-san!" Sakura called, but got the same thing as her brother.

"Wonder where he's going in such a hurry?" Touya murmured.

"Let's follow him and find out!" Sakura said, as they both started going in the direction Yukito had disappeared into.

Umi rolled her eyes. Where was Yukito? What was keeping him? Hikaru and Fuu were already there, waiting for him to arrive. Finally, she caught sight of him moving quickly through the crowd, trying to get to their location.

"So, the White Rabbit is finally here!" Umi said, as Yukito ran up.

"Very…………funny……………Umi-san…………" Yukito gasped, much to the amusement of Hikaru and Fuu. 

"I'm glad you could make it, Yukito-chan." Hikaru said, warmly, as they all looked at the skyline. 

"To think, our adventures began right on this spot!" Yukito stated.

"It is somewhat hard to believe." Fuu agreed, as she adjusted the sleeve of her green blouse. Loud shouting and Yukito getting tackled by a girl startled them.

"Sakura-chan!" Yukito yelped.

"Yukito-san…………….!" Sakura said, pleased that she'd caught up with him, but confused when she saw three other girls standing close by.

"Hikaru-chan? What're you doing here?" Sakura asked.

"Sakura-chan! You're Yukito-chan's girlfriend?!" Hikaru asked, in disbelief.

"Hai! He is!" Sakura replied, cheerfully.

"Sakura-chan, how do you know Hikaru-san?" Yukito asked.

"Hikaru-chan is in my class at school!" Sakura said, as she and Yukito stood up. 

"I see……………Sakura-chan, may I ask you something?" Yukito asked.

"Hai, what is it?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Were you here for the Tokyo Tower field trip a year ago?" Yukito asked. Sakura looked thoughtfully away, then shook her head.

"Iie. I was at home sick that day, remember?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah! I remember! You had a cold that week!" Hikaru said, getting a nod from Sakura. Then Sakura noticed a flicker of pain from each of the other teens' eyes and in Yukito's eyes as well..

"Yukito-san, daijobu?" Sakura asked.

"Hai! Sorry to worry you! Anyway, these are two of mine and Hikaru's friends, Ryuuzaki Umi and Houoji Fuu. We were all here at the same time for the field trip." Yukito said, motioning to each girl as he said her name. Sakura politely bowed to both of them. 

"Yukito-san, have you told her yet what happened to us here a year ago?" Fuu asked, speaking up for the first time. 

"No. I have not." Yukito replied. Sakura was confused.

"What happened here? Why do you all look so sad now?" Sakura asked, concerned about the people she'd just met.

"It's a long story, Sakura-chan. One I hope I can tell you one day…………….." Yukito trailed off when brilliant white light lit up the sky.

"What the…………?!" Umi yelped.

"It's happening again!" Fuu shouted, as the light engulfed them all. Before they could blink twice, they were falling through a clear blue sky. 

"I can't believe this happened a third time!" Umi screamed, as the fell. 

"Where are we?! What is this place?!" Sakura asked. All of them looked at her in astonishment.

"But why was Sakura summoned with us?!" Umi asked, before they all landed on something soft and bouncy.

"The flying fish!" Yukito said, pleased to see something familiar.

"Hoee! Where are we? Yukito-san, where are we?" Sakura asked, shaken by the sudden fall through the air.

"Sakura-chan, welcome to Cephiro." Yukito said, as the fish stopped at a cliff and dropped them off. 

"Cephiro? Where is that?" Sakura asked.

"Not on earth, I can tell you that much." Umi said, as a familiar bouncing marshmallow greeted them in its usual fashion.

"Puuuuuu!" Mokona cried, gleefully greeting them all.

"Mokona!" Hikaru shouted, as she scooped the puffball up.

"It seems that Cephiro has completely recovered from its crumbling away." Yukito murmured.

"Hey, you guys! Look!" Hikaru shouted, as she pointed at something from a vantage point on the cliff. Upon rushing over, Yukito saw what it was that Hikaru had noticed; their landmarks had returned!

"The ocean, the floating mountain, the midday moon, and the volcano! They're all here!" Hikaru said, ecstatically.

"But all is not well in paradise." A man's voice said, from behind them. they all whirled around and Umi gasped when she saw who it was.

"Clef!" Umi shouted, and dashed over to him, embracing him warmly.

"I'm glad to see you too, Umi." Clef said, as he hugged the blue-haired girl back.

"But what did you mean by what you'd said, Madoushi?" Yukito asked. Clef sighed.

"I will tell you, but first, I need to know the name of that new girl. I have not seen her before." Clef said, as Sakura gazed at her surroundings.

"This is Kinomoto Sakura, my…………..erm………..girlfriend." Yukito said, not quite knowing how to phrase it. Clef nodded.

"I see. Does she know your story yet?" Clef asked.

"Not yet." Yukito said, as Sakura again gave him a confused look.

"Then I suppose this will be best explained in actions. Accept!" Clef shouted, raising his staff into the air. Once again, Yukito and his friends were bathed in warm light and once again, when the light had faded, they stood together in their armor.

"Hoee!!!!!!!!! Sugoi!" Sakura yelped, amazed by what had just happened. Clef chuckled. 

"She's like you were in the beginning, Hikaru." Clef said, getting some laughter from the four Knights for that statement. 

"Clef, will you tell us now what is going on?" Umi asked.

"Not now. First I need to be sure that we are not being listened to." Clef said, as he raised his staff again. Before the Knights and their guest could blink, they were in a very familiar house.

"This was Presea's house!" Hikaru yelped.

"Yes. Even though the Forest of Silence has lost it's magic, we can still be sure that no one will try to eavesdrop on us here. Now I can tell you what is happening here." Clef said, as he sat down on the sill of a huge window. His captive audience leaned in, anxious to know why Clef had brought them to such a remote area.

"First of all, I am glad that you, the Magic Knights, have returned to Cephiro, since we are in desperate need of your help. You see, a faction of Autozam's army has started attacking Cephiro as of late. Ferio went to Autozam to try to make peace with them, but he couldn't get through to them. About a month ago, Ferio went missing. At around the same time, a silver Mashin appeared." Clef said, as Fuu gasped in horror at hearing that Ferio was missing, and no one knew where he was. 

"Madoushi, Hikaru-san, Umi-san, Fuu-san and I were led to believe that there were only four Mashin. There aren't any others that we don't know about, are there?" Yukito asked.

"There are. But the stories behind them are very vague; nowhere near as clear as the legend of the Magic Knights." Clef replied, grimly.

"Clef, who is leading the faction from Autozam? Why are they attacking Cephiro?" Hikaru asked, as Sakura consoled Fuu. 

"Someone related to the late Eagle Vision." Clef said, with a deep sigh. 

"Someone from his family? But who, Madoushi? And why?" Yukito asked. 

"From what I have been able to tell, it is the sister of Eagle Vision. She is attacking Cephiro for revenge. Revenge for her brother's death." Clef said, as shock registered on the faces of the Magic Knights.

Meanwhile, in the NSX, a young woman sits, icy green eyes taking in all that the viewscreen showed her.

"Commander, we almost there." One man said.

"Excellent. Ready the FTO for launch." The woman said, coldly.

"Yes ma'am!" the underling said, before making himself scarce. From her shadow-shrouded seat, the woman smiled.

"_Soon Cephiro. Soon you will feel the wrath of Autozam! You will pay for the death of my brother! I swear it!_" the woman thought, as she stood and walked down into the docking bay, to get ready for her first battle against Cephiro. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: The New Journey Begins!

"So, Cephiro needs the Magic Knights again, ne?" Yukito asked. Clef nodded. 

"You're the only ones who can possibly save Cephiro. And also probably the only ones to figure out who the new Mashin are and who their chosen Knights are." Clef said, as he led them into a room at the back of the house.

"I remember this place! It's the armory!" Hikaru said, her voice echoing slightly.

"Hoee! Look at all the weapons!" Sakura yelped, amazed. Clef looked closely at Sakura.

"Excuse me, your name is Sakura, isn't it?" Clef asked.

"Hai!" Sakura replied, with a smile.

"Yukito, there might be a reason as to why Sakura is here with you now." Clef said. Yukito raised an eyebrow.

"Really? What would that reason be, Madoushi?" Yukito asked.

"She could be the Magic Knight of the Sun." Clef said. All of the Magic Knights fell over from the shock.

"What're you saying, Clef?! We'd always heard that there were only FOUR Magic Knights! Why are you saying there is a fifth one now?!" Umi asked, as usual throwing a conniption fit about it. Clef winced, but spoke with his usual calm.

"The reason why she wasn't summoned with you four the first time was probably because she wasn't in the same place at the same time like you were. And another reason could be that the Sun Knight is only summoned once every one thousand years" Clef said.

"That makes sense. Sakura-chan had to stay home because of an illness that day when we were first summoned to become Magic Knights." Yukito murmured.

"There is one other thing that I have neglected to mention. Yukito, Umi, Fuu, Hikaru, do you remember the sword that hung over the mantle in the library of this house?" Clef asked. Hikaru and the rest nodded when they remembered the ornate sword.

"Yeah! But what about it? Was it a special sword?" Hikaru asked.

"It was. You see, that sword was a key to a Mashin." Clef said. 

"Okay, keep on surprising us, Clef!" Umi muttered.

"Okay. The sword is missing. It disappeared the day Ferio disappeared." Clef said, getting an exasperated look from Umi and an increased look of worry from Fuu. 

"Madoushi, since Sakura-chan is one of us, she's going to need armor and a weapon." Yukito said.

"And magic!" Hikaru added. Clef nodded.

"_Accept!_ Magic Gift!" Clef shouted, as golden light surrounded Sakura. When the light had faded, Sakura was left standing with some armor that looked exactly like the armor Yukito and the others had started out with. 

"Sugoi!" Sakura chirped, thrilled about wearing her own armor. 

"Oh great! She's got the armor we started out with! Does this mean we'll have to make the whole journey again?!" Umi asked. Clef sighed and shook his head, feeling a headache coming on.

"Not the whole way. Remember, she doesn't have to face a High Priest or a Pillar. But the stakes are just as high. You remember the way to Eterna, don't you?" Clef asked.

"Yes, we do. But who will forge the sword when we get back? Where will we go to get that done, since the creation room was smashed to pieces the last time we were here?" Yukito asked.

"I'll send Lantis to your location as soon as young Sakura comes out of the fountain. In turn, he will lead you to the new castle where the sword will be forged." Clef said, then turned to Sakura.

"Sakura, do you feel it? A feeling different than any you have ever felt before?" Clef asked.

"Yes………….it's like a fire in my heart…………..words………there are words….." Sakura murmured.

"That is your magic." Clef said, as Sakura smiled, then looked back at the professional Magic Knights.

"Clef-san, what about our swords?" Fuu asked.

"Look around. Call it to you. It should come. And Sakura, choose a weapon you can use for the time being." Clef ordered, as he sat down on the cannon. Quietly, Yukito and his fellow Knights closed their eyes and concentrated on their swords. Sakura stifled a gasp when she saw four separate lights emanate from different locations inside the armory. Seconds later, four swords were floating in front of the four Knights. 

"Sugoi…………." Sakura murmured, then she chose a broadsword from the wall.

"Good choice, Sakura-chan! I think that's the sword Yukito-chan used when we went through the Forest of Silence." Hikaru said, with a smile. Sakura beamed at Yukito, who smiled back and swung his sword, glad to feel its familiar weight after so long.

"Now, I must go. The search team I was leading is probably beginning to worry. Good luck, Magic Knights." Clef said, as he teleported away, leaving the five teens in the abandoned house.

"Well, Minna-san, let's go. We now know what our mission is." Yukito said, quietly.

"Hai. The sooner we help Sakura-san get her Escudo, get her sword made, and awaken her Mashin, the sooner we can figure out where Ferio is." Fuu murmured. With a look of sympathy, Yukito put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Fuu-san, we'll find him. Ferio-kun is not one who will give up so easily." Yukito said, confidently. Fuu nodded, with a weak smile, showing that she wasn't as confident as her friend.

"Yeah, Fuu-chan! Don't give up! If Yukito-san has faith in him, then you should too!" Sakura said, enthusiastically. Fuu stared at Sakura, in disbelief, then smiled, wholeheartedly.

"If Sakura-san says it's possible, then I must believe it. Arigato, Sakura-san!" Fuu said, now appreciating Sakura's bubbly personality. This personality was perfectly reflected in Hikaru. 

"Then let's go! Ferio is out there waiting for us!" Hikaru shouted, leading the charge into the former Forest of Silence. And ahead of them all the way was Mokona, taking them on a nostalgic, and also uncertain, trip into the depths of the forest. 

"Kazuhiko, Ran, Gingetsu, are you three ready?" the female commander asked, coolly.

"Yes ma'am." Ran replied, smartly.

"Ready and waiting for your order, Commander." Came Gingetsu's reply.

"I'm ready when you are." Kazuhiko said, crisply.

"Then let's launch." The Commander said, as she fastened herself into the cockpit of the FTO.

"Okay." The three replied.

"FTO, Go." The Commander whispered. As it had with Eagle before her, the FTO lurched to life. With a smile, the Commander confidently piloted her late brother's mecha.

"LTO, Go." Kazuhiko murmured, as his mecha followed his Commander's.

"RTO, Go." Ran said, with barely contained excitement in his voice.

"ZTO, Go." Gingetsu said, his voice almost inaudible. Once all of the mecha were launched, the Commander sneered, Cephiro wouldn't know what hit it.

"Attack." The Commander snarled, her command being followed without question.

Yukito gasped and stopped in his tracks.

"Yukito-san! What's wrong?!" Sakura asked, suddenly worried about him.

"Fuu-san, Umi-san, Hikaru-san, it's time to don the Mashin. Cephiro's about to be attacked!" Yukito said, seriously.

"Are you sure, Yukito?!" Umi asked.

"Yes! Let's find a clearing and don the Mashin! We don't have any time to lose!" Yukito shouted. Without hesitation, the three female Knights (with the exception of Sakura, of course) whipped out their swords and followed Yukito, who was following Mokona, to a huge clearing. From there, Sakura watched in astonishment as the four teens raised their swords into the air.

"Selece!" Umi shouted, her armor changing as she shouted the name.

"Windam!" Fuu cried, her armor doing the same.

"Yue!" Yukito called, his final armor appearing in a dazzling white flash.

"Rayearth!" Hikaru shouted, her crimson final armor appearing instantaneously. Seconds later, four robotic looking things appeared before the four Magic Knights and, as Sakura watched, they were drawn into them.

"Hoeee…………….." Sakura said, as she watched Yukito and the others disappear into the Mashin and watched them take off. 

"Pupupu?" Mokona asked, when it noticed Sakura's expression change.

"I hope they're gonna be all right. They will be, won't they, Mokona-chan?" Sakura asked, almost tearfully.

"PU!" Mokona shouted, cheerfully. Sakura smiled, and looked back up at the sky.

"_Someone, please watch over them._" Sakura thought, not knowing that someone was watching over them. An unexpected someone.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: The Appearance and Unraveling of the Silver Mystery

As they were ascending, the four Magic Knights caught sight of four mechas coming their way.

"Incoming!" Yukito shouted, as the mechas accelerated to attack speed. 

"Whoa! They're fast!" Hikaru yelped, as two mechas shot past her. It was when the mechas slowed down that Hikaru and the rest stared in shock at one of them.

"Eagle's FTO……………………" Hikaru muttered.

"It certainly isn't Eagle-kun piloting it, though." Yukito shouted, as a red mecha lashed out at him. 

"Binding Wind!" Fuu shouted, as she tried to stop one of the mechas.

"Hey! Why are you attacking Cephiro?" Hikaru asked, hoping she could reach the pilot of the FTO. There was a snicker, before the response came.

"You should know, Magic Knight." A woman's voice replied, from the FTO.

"Definitely not Eagle-kun." Yukito muttered, before parrying a blow from a blue mecha. 

"No, I am not Eagle. Eagle Vision is dead, no thanks to you, Magic Knights!" the woman said, as she charged at Hikaru, and Hikaru dodged. 

"Moon Arrow!" Yukito shouted, sending his spell flying. Luckily for him, he scored a hit on the blue mecha. 

"Damn you!" the blue mecha's pilot shouted, as it fired a barrage of lasers at Yukito. 

"Moon Shield!" Yukito cried, blocking the attack with his barrier. Before the battle could intensify, a brilliant silver light illumined the space between the two groups.

"What the hell……………..?!" one of the mecha pilots asked.

"What's that light?" Umi asked, as something materialized from the light. To their shock, it was the Silver Mashin Clef had mentioned!

"The Silver Mashin………………." Fuu whispered, not believing what she was seeing.

"But whose side is it on?" Yukito asked, as he watched the new Mashin carefully. From within her cockpit, the Commander growled at the new Mashin, cursing it's existence. 

"Take this!" the Commander screamed, as she fired some lasers at the Mashin. With a nonchalant move, the Mashin blocked the attack, then initiated its own attack, that of which blew the four mechas back a little bit. 

"Damn you, Silver Mashin! Just you wait! I'll figure out a way to destroy you!" the Commander shouted, before she and her allies flew away. When the four mechas were out of sight, the Silver Mashin turned to the four Magic Knights.

"Who are you? Are you on our side?" Hikaru asked. The Silver Mashin said nothing in response, but it motioned for them to land in the clearing where the Magic Knights had left Sakura and Mokona. 

"He wants to land. Maybe he'll talk to us there." Fuu said, as they all went down to the area the Mashin had motioned to.

Sakura sighed with relief when she saw the mechas leave, but was confused when she saw the Mashin returning to the clearing. 

"Mokona-chan, weren't there four of those things when they left?" Sakura asked. Mokona nodded. They both watched as the five Mashin landed and the four accomplished Magic Knights descended from their Mashin. For a few moments, the Silver Mashin stood still, then silver light emanated from the gem on its chest. As they watched, a figure materialized before them. He was about the same height as Yukito, and wore silver armor. On his head, he wore an ornate circlet that had stones set in it that matched the one he'd just descended from. His face was downcast and the light further obscured its features from the Magic Knights. 

"Sir, we're thankful for your help." Fuu said, when light had begun to fade.

"Yeah! Thank you! Without your help, that fight would have gotten ugly!" Hikaru said, her gratitude genuine. 

"Think nothing of it, Legendary Magic Knights." The figure replied, in a vaguely familiar voice. 

"Hey, do we know you? You seem familiar." Umi said. It was then that the figure raised his head and looked at them. 

"I should hope that you remember me, because I certainly remember you." The young man said, with a smile.

"It can't be………………" Fuu muttered, when it registered to her who this fellow was. 

"Eagle……………….." Hikaru whispered, as tears came to her eyes.

"Eagle-kun……………" Yukito trailed off, when Hikaru rushed over and hugged the once lost warrior.

"Eagle……….I can't believe it! You're alive! Alive!" Hikaru sobbed, as she buried her face into Eagle's silver robes.

"Yes, I am alive, Hikaru, though I don't know how I could be, though." Eagle said, gently. 

"We certainly don't know either, Eagle! How did you manage to get out of that machine of yours and into a Mashin?" Umi asked. Eagle shrugged. 

"I don't know. The last thing I can remember is Debonair blasting me, this blinding silver light, and a huge eagle." Eagle replied, quietly, as Hikaru looked up at him. 

"An eagle?" Yukito asked.

"Wait a minute! Did this eagle tell you its name?" Umi asked. Eagle nodded.

"His name is Vision." Eagle replied, as he looked over his shoulder at the silver Mashin. 

"Vision………………..makes since, since that is your last name." Umi said. Eagle chuckled. 

"It does, doesn't it? Maybe it is more than fate that I was snatched from my FTO before it exploded and brought before a Mashin." Eagle said, good-naturedly.

"Hey! Are you the person flying in that silver thingee?" Sakura asked, suddenly coming into the conversation.

"Why yes, I am. And who might you be?" Eagle asked, as he turned to look at Sakura.

"I am Sakura Kinomoto! Pleased to meet you!" Sakura chirped, enthusiastically. 

"Very pleased to meet you too, Sakura!" Eagle said, with his usual smile.

"PUPUPU!" Mokona shouted, as it came from nowhere and landed on Eagle's head. There was a moment of shocked silence, then laughter erupted from the four experienced Magic Knights and the soon-to-be Magic Knight, as Eagle took the smiling creature from on top of his head and gave it a befuddled look.

"And what might you be?" Eagle asked, as he looked at Mokona.

"PU!" Mokona replied, then promptly wriggled free of Eagle's grasp.

"I think Mokona likes you, Eagle." Hikaru said, with a smile.

"I certainly hope so!" Eagle said, getting even more laughter from the Magic Knights and another 'PU!' from Mokona. 

"Eagle, would you like to travel with us? We're heading to Eterna to get Sakura some Escudo." Umi said. Eagle nodded.

"I don't exactly know what you are talking about, Magic Knight, but I would be happy to travel with you and see Cephiro as it looked when you first traveled here." Eagle replied. 

"Then let's go! There's no time to lose!" Hikaru said, as she and Mokona started on their way. They all agreed and started on their way again, leaving the clearing just as the five Mashin disappeared to go back into their dimension.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Shadows on the Path

"I can't believe that this place was once so dangerous! It's like it was only a bad dream!" Umi said, as they walked along the sunlit path.

"If you say so, Umi. But you must remember that I wasn't here when your four first made your journey." Eagle reminded, looking around when something moved away from the path.

"Did you see something, Eagle-san?" Fuu asked, when she'd noticed Eagle pause and look into the adjoining grove.

"I thought I did. It looked like a person, but I can't be sure." Eagle murmured, as Sakura also looked into the grove, her gaze nervous.

"Then let's hurry. Since Cephiro is at war, I don't think it will be safe to linger here for very long." Yukito said, breaking into a run along the well-worn path.

"Wait for us, Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she, Umi, Fuu, Sakura, and Eagle followed close behind him. Soon they reached the exit of the forest and rushed out into the afternoon sunshine. 

"It is more dangerous out here than in there. Why did you want to get out so quickly, Yukito?" Eagle asked, his senses now on high alert.

"There was something in there. Now that the Forest of Silence has lost its magic, it is now a safe haven for even darker things." Yukito said, looking distinctly worried.

"But what…………….?!" Hikaru began, and was forced to break off when suddenly something rammed into Yukito from behind, propelling him forward several feet.

"Yukito-san!" Sakura yelped, then rushed to the fallen Knight's side. Blood flowed freely from several deep gashes in his back and side, and, before Fuu could utter the spell that could heal them, the culprit confronted them.

"Eriol?! What's going on? What's the meaning of this?!" Umi asked, gasping when she realized that the mage (who had formerly been in child form) had gotten much taller. 

"What do you think, Water Knight? I am removing the competition for the Sun Knight." Eriol replied, with an undertone of evil in his voice.

"But why? Why did you do this? Yukito-chan never did anything to you!" Hikaru said, trying to talk reason into a mage that had once been their friend. 

"I never said he did. But he is in my way, all the same. I need the Sun Knight, and I will kill him in order to get to her, if I have to." Eriol replied, as Sakura tearfully tried to stanch the bleeding in Yukito's wounds. 

"I won't allow you to do that." Eagle said, as he stepped in between Eriol and Sakura.

"Oh? Do you honestly believe that you can defeat me, Eagle Vision of Autozam? I'd like to see you try." Eriol sneered, challengingly. In a swift, fluid movement, Eagle brought his sword out of the glove-gem on his left hand and stood poised, ready for a fight. 

"Fuu, try and heal Yukito's wounds. I will try to hold the mage off." Eagle said, never once taking his eyes off of the mage. Eriol smiled wickedly, then brought out his own sword; a sword whose blade was as black as a moonless night. With a loud clash, the two warriors met blades. The battle in itself was dizzying to watch; both men were at the peak of their abilities and stamina, and both were accomplished swordsmen. While all this was going on, Sakura sat in numb shock; Yukito had just been attacked and she had done nothing to protect him. She watched as Fuu used her magic to heal the ugly wounds in Yukito's back, then she turned her attention back to the battle. 

"Are you all right, Sakura-san?" Fuu asked. Sakura nodded.

"Will Yukito-san be all right?" Sakura asked, in turn.

"He should be fine now. It appears that Eagle-san and Eriol are pretty evenly matched." Fuu murmured, as she watched the two men start hurling spells at one another. Then anger entered Sakura's eyes. She then stood up, looked at Eriol, raised her arms over her head and shouted the first words that came into her mind.

"Sun Lance!" Sakura shouted, as she threw her spell at the unsuspecting mage's back. Eriol let out a scream of pain as he was struck and then engulfed by the spell. He disappeared into a pall of gray smoke.

"I don't think that was the end of him. He'll be back." Eagle muttered, as he put his sword back into his glove-gem. 

"I don't get it. Why did he attack Yukito? What made him change so?" Umi asked, utterly confused by the changes in the mage.

"That's another puzzle that will just have to wait until after Sakura gets her Escudo. Yukito, can you walk?" Eagle asked, noticing that the other man had awakened and was sitting there, looking about as confused as the girls.

"I believe so, since Fuu-san has already taken care of my wounds." Yukito replied, as he got shakily got to his feet.

"Good. Now let's get going." Eagle said, as Mokona reappeared, and started showing the way again. For the rest of that afternoon, they made good time across the landscape. Yet, even though this was a nostalgic trip for the first four Magic Knights, their mood was subdued by the fact of Eriol's dramatic change in character. Finally, they reached the Spring of Eterna.

"Yep, it's still the Weirdo Fountain of Eterna." Umi muttered, getting some chuckles from Yukito, Fuu, and Hikaru, and some confused looks from Eagle and Sakura.

"Where is the Fountain? I don't see any water around here." Sakura said, as she glanced around at the seemingly empty spot.

"Climb on top of those rocks, Sakura-chan. Tell us what you see when you get up there." Yukito suggested. Taking Yukito's advice, Sakura climbed onto the rocks and looked down. She let out a yelp of surprise when she saw what was there.

"Hoeee! A fountain?!" Sakura shouted, in surprise. She got knowing glances from the four accomplished Knights that confirmed her suspicions. 

"Go ahead, Sakura-chan! The Escudo's in the spring!" Hikaru urged. Nervously, Sakura looked down at the water.

"But I don't know how deep it is." Sakura said, uncertainly.

"Don't worry, Sakura-san! We went down there and got our Escudo. You'll be fine." Fuu said. With a reluctant nod, Sakura jumped into the spring.

"I wish we could have told her about the test." Hikaru said, guiltily. 

"Then that wouldn't have been fair. It probably would have even been dangerous if we had told her about the test of the Spring of Eterna. She's on her own now." Yukito said, as they stood watch over the fountain.

Meanwhile, the crew on board the renegade Autozamian ship nervously watched their commander. Even though she was the sister of the late Eagle Vision, Suu was extremely unpredictable. There were even rumors that the young girl had been so distraught over the death of her brother that she had become mentally unstable. Now she sat silently in the commander's chair, her cold emerald eyes burning brightly with the fires of hatred. 

"Kazuhiko." Suu said, quietly.

"Yes, Commander?" Kazuhiko asked, in response.

"Whose fault was it that Eagle died?" Suu asked, her voice as cold as ice.

"The Magic Knights' and Cephiro's, Commander." Kazuhiko replied.

"And why are we here, Kazuhiko?" Suu again asked.

"To destroy them, Commander, and get revenge for Commander Eagle's death." Kazuhiko replied. This got an eerie smile from the young woman.

"Then we'll attack again as soon as the mecha are repaired. The Magic Knights will not even know what hit them." Suu purred, content in her desire to destroy the people that had destroyed her brother.

"Yes, Commander. It will be as you say." Kazuhiko murmured, then left, leaving Suu to sit alone in the shadows. 

Author's Note!

Eerie ne? Well, I need some help now. Who do you think should Sakura see in her Eterna trial? Please e-mail me on who you think she should see and how she should handle it. Also, who do you think will tell her that she is only facing an illusion? 

Gemini


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five: The Secret of the Mage Mashin

As she sank below the surface of the water, Sakura became aware of the crushing pressure, and then the silent darkness. For a few moments, she had a hard time deciding that she was still in the Fountain, but then shook her head.

"_I guess Umi-chan was right_………………_This IS a Weirdo Fountain._" Sakura thought, as she stood up and looked around. 

"Hello? Is there anyone here?" Sakura asked, her voice echoing in the empty place. Then a footstep broke the silence. Whirling around, Sakura whipped out her sword and faced the stranger. She couldn't believe what she saw next.

"Oka-san?! What're you doing here?!" Sakura asked, stunned.

Meanwhile, outside of the Fountain, Yukito anxiously watched for trouble.

"Sit down, Yukito. You're pacing." Umi said, from where she, Hikaru, and Fuu now sat.

"Am I really?" Yukito asked, then looked a little embarrassed when he saw the track he'd been wearing into the ground around the Fountain. 

"She'll be all right, Yukito-san." Fuu said, with her usual calm smile.

"I hope so. But we had Princess Emeraude help us out when we were undergoing Eterna's test." Yukito said, worriedly.

"If that's so, then who will help her?" Eagle asked, from his vantage point above the Fountain. 

"I don't know." Yukito murmured, as he watched the still water with troubled eyes.

"Oka-san! I don't believe it! You're standing! Are you healthy again?" Sakura asked, overjoyed. The woman before her didn't answer, but instead threw a powerful blast of energy at her. Sakura cried out in pain as the blast struck her, and threw her into a wall.

"Oka-san? Why? Why did you attack me?" Sakura asked, stunned that her mother had hurt her. Again, the woman did not answer, and again she threw an energy blast. 

"Oka-san, please stop! Don't you remember who I am? Don't you still love me? Oka-san!" Sakura cried, tears flowing freely down her face. She was bewildered, why was her mother hurting her?

"_Magic Knight_………………." A voice whispered. 

"Huh? Who's there?" Sakura asked, tearfully.

"_Magic Knight, brought from another world to help save Cephiro._" The voice said again, as the owner of the voice appeared before her.

"Who are you? How do you know I am to become a Magic Knight?" Sakura asked.

"_I am known as Ferio. Magic Knight, is this one before you truly your loved one?_" the image asked, as he gazed at her with sad golden eyes.

"This is my beloved mother! From the time Onii-chan and I were born she's done her best to make sure that we had all the love she could give us. I want to repay her for all she's done and I want to see her get well! Both of my parents and my stupid brother are dear to me! Yukito-san too for that matter!" Sakura replied, strongly. Ferio smiled slightly at the mention of a 'stupid brother' and a slight glint of recognition came to his eyes when Yukito was mentioned.

"_Then could this be your mother? Would she ever wish you pain? Would she ever want you to_ _suffer?_" Ferio asked, pleased with Sakura's answer.

"No! Oka-san would never wish me pain! This is not my mother!" Sakura screamed, then added, "Solar Rage!!" 

With that final blast of power, Sakura obliterated the false image of her mother to reveal…………

"This…………………………Is this Escudo?" Sakura asked, as she gazed up at the golden, crystal-like substance that now floated above her.

"_Yes. This is Escudo. You did well. Rejoin your friends, Sun Knight._" Ferio said, then, with a golden flash, Sakura's Escudo disappeared into her glove, and she was transported back to the surface.

The four accomplished Knights and Eagle all jumped when a brilliant flash came from the Fountain, and Sakura emerged and floated over the surface. She had her eyes closed and her hands clasped into front of her chest.

"Sakura-chan!" Yukito and Hikaru shouted in unison. Sakura slowly opened her eyes, looked down, and smiled at them.

"Yukito-san! Minna-chan!" Sakura shouted, then happened to look down.

"HOEEEE!!!!!!!!!!" Sakura yelped, much to the amusement of her companions.

"Calm down, Sakura-chan. You're not going to fall back in." Yukito said, as he reached out his hand to her. After a few seconds of frantic scrambling in midair, Sakura calmed down and grasped Yukito's hand, allowing him to gently guide her back down to the ground. 

"Quite the entrance, Sakura." Eagle teased, with a chuckle.

"Don't tease me, Eagle-chan." Sakura muttered, dryly, then took notice of her changed armor. 

"Did your armor look like this when you came out, Yukito-san?" Sakura asked, curiously.

"It did. Only it had amethyst sets instead of amber. I wonder where Lantis-kun is?" Yukito mused.

"I have just arrived, Moon Knight." Lantis' voice said, as Lantis himself appeared on the scene.

"Lantis!" Hikaru cried, happy to see her loved one again.

"Good to see you too, Hikaru. Everyone……………!?" Lantis said, then stopped when he saw Eagle.

"Hello, Lantis." Eagle said, with a calm smile.

"By the Pillar……………………I-it can't be…………………Eagle is that really you?!" Lantis yelped, for once shocked out of his usual stoic façade. Eagle smiled again.

"Yes, it is truly me, in the flesh, as it were." Eagle replied.

"But I saw the FTO explode! How could you have survived that?!" Lantis asked, in disbelief.

"The silver Mashin known as Vision snatched me out of the FTO, healed my wounds, and told me that I was destined to don him. At first I didn't know what he meant, but then he showed me. I am alive because of him." Eagle said, trying to explain as best as he could.

"One of the two Mage Mashin…………………………that could only mean that you are the Silver Mage. Eagle, you are now a mage that rivals even Madoushi Clef and myself in power!" Lantis said, with almost reverence in his voice.

"A mage. So that is what I am now. I guess after what I went through to come to this moment, I can never go back to Autozam." Eagle said, with a sigh.

"Not to live. To visit, maybe, but not to live. They already consider you a dead man over there, anyway. Besides, you have someone here to return to." Lantis murmured. 

"Excuse me, but how do you know Hikaru-chan?" Sakura asked, curious as to what connection this tall, imposing man had to the sprightly Hikaru.

"It's a long story. You must be the new Magic Knight Madoushi Clef had mentioned. We must hurry and get to the castle. All of the search teams will be returning there before dark and Presea will be waiting in the Creation Room." Lantis said, in an offhand way, then summoned a few more flying horses for the Magic Knights and newly named Silver Mage.

"We could follow in our Mashin, Lantis. Why are you doing this?" Umi asked, confusion written on her face.

"It would be too dangerous. With Eriol suddenly power-crazy and Suu Vision's attacks, the Mashin would stand out too much." Lantis replied, as they took to the sky, leaving Eterna far behind them. 

"Fuu-chan?" Sakura asked, as she rode alongside the Wind Knight.

"Yes, Sakura-san?" Fuu replied.

"Does Ferio have green hair and gold eyes?" Sakura asked. Poor Fuu nearly fell from her horse in shock.

"How did you know that?!" Fuu asked, now paying full attention to Sakura.

"I saw him in the fountain. He told me that what I was seeing wasn't real." Sakura said, as looks of shock crossed the faces of the four accomplished Knights.

"If you saw Ferio-kun there, then I wonder where he is physically?" Yukito mused.

"He wasn't in the Water Dungeon. That was the first place Lafarga and I checked. I can only hope that Eriol hasn't trapped him somehow." Lantis said, as the castle came into sight. 

"If he has, then Cephiro is in more danger than we had first thought." Umi muttered, as they all rode into the castle keep. Once they got there, Clef, Ascot, and Lafarga were waiting.

"Did you find any trace of him?" Lantis asked, getting shaking heads from all three for a response. 

"It's almost as though he had disappeared from Cephiro completely. I can't sense him anywhere." Clef said, looking miserable at that moment.

"He's got to still be in this land, since Sakura saw him in the Fountain of Eterna, Madoushi." Eagle said, speaking up for the first time since they had left the spring. Clef looked at Eagle with an amazed look on his face.

"But how could this be?! Everyone in Cephiro either felt, heard, or saw your machine explode! How could you be standing here before me? It's not possible!" Clef said, in astonishment. Eagle chuckled.

"Yet I am here, Madoushi, and you can either blame or thank Vision for that." Eagle said, cheerfully.

"So the Mage Mashin are starting to awaken again……………….then it is no wonder why the Silver Mashin started appearing when Cephiro was in danger. It could well be that Ferio has been chosen by the second Mage Mashin." Clef murmured, looking gravely at Eagle as he said that.

"Clef, what are the Mage Mashin? Are they any different from our Mashin?" Umi asked, voicing the questions she and the other Magic Knights had.

"In some ways they are like your Mashin, Umi. And in some ways they are very different. Such as when you four had to travel to the shrines and prove yourselves worthy, the Mage Mashin take an interest in a few different people, then watched as they handled obstacles on their own. When the time was right, the chosen two were summoned to the shrines and given their magic, armor, and weapons by the Mashin themselves. Then they were told of their destiny." Clef explained, calmly.

"If that was the case, then Vision must have had incredible sight, if he was able to see me on Autozam. He has to have watched me through my entire life up until the point that the FTO was destroyed by Debonair. Then I was snatched from death and now stand before you as a mage." Eagle murmured. 

"Yes." Clef said, then looked at Sakura.

"Come, I'll lead you to the Creation Room. Magic Knights, there are still others who would like to see you." Clef said, before he gently led Sakura away. 

"See you later, Sakura-chan! And don't worry, Presea is really nice!" Hikaru shouted.

"Unless you happen to stumble into one of her Mokona traps." Umi muttered, remembering what had happened when they'd first met the Pharle of Cephiro. This got laughter from the other three Magic Knights and a confused look from both Lantis and Eagle.

The sight of the pearl-lined Creation Room amazed Sakura. 

"This is where I will leave you. Don't worry, Yukito will probably be along in a while to see how things are going, since he was a little reluctant to let you go." Clef said, as Sakura blushed a little bit.

"Clef?" a woman's voice asked, coming from the other end of the room.

"Hello Presea." Clef said, as an elegant woman walked over to them, her expression warm, and vaguely worried.

"It's good to see you. I suppose there has been no word from Prince Ferio?" Presea asked.

"No. But there I have a vague idea as to where he might be. Anyway, this new Knight needs to have a sword made. She already has the materials." Clef said, as he motioned to Sakura.

"Indeed? And what might your name be?" Presea asked, kindly.

"Sakura." Sakura said, captivated by Presea's eyes.

"Sah-koo-rah? Another bizarre name. Are you from the same world as Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, and Yukito?" Presea asked.

"Hai! In fact, Hikaru-chan and I go to the same school!" Sakura replied, cheerfully.

"Yes, it certainly seems that you are from the same world, since you both share a bright personality." Presea said, then motioned to Sakura's glove.

"Show me what you have." Presea said. Sakura immediately complied, releasing the Escudo from her glove gem.

"Escudo. So you are the Sun Knight. You have come at the right time. Now I will begin work on your sword. You can either wait outside of this room, or you can stay here and watch. But you must be quiet, okay?" Presea asked.

"Okay!" Sakura agreed, as she stood and watched Presea begin forging the magical ore into a sword.

"_Kirei_…………………" Sakura thought, as the golden ore shone brightly, making her shield her eyes. Little did she realize that someone else was watching as well, and was about to cause trouble.

Yukito watched from afar as Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu reunited with Caldina, Syaoran, Innouva and Kerberos.

"Not into reunions, are you?" Lafarga asked, as he stood beside the teen.

"No, it's not that. I'm just afraid of Caldina-san's killer hugs." Yukito said, jokingly. Lafarga chuckled.

"I suppose she does get a little carried away. I wonder what is going to happen this time? Will Cephiro weather this storm?" Lafarga mused.

"I think it will. We just have to get to the bottom of things and try to sort them out. There has to be more to Eriol's change than meets the eye. By the way, where has Eagle-kun gotten to?" Yukito asked.

"I believe he's exploring the castle on his own. He's probably also looking for the Healers." Lafarga said, looking away when something impacted into the far wall.

"What was that?!" Umi yelped, turning and taking notice of the now charred wall. 

"You mean you don't know?" a female voice said, as the owner emerged from the smoke.

"No…………………………no way………………." Hikaru muttered, not noticing that they were now surrounded.

"It's true, Hikaru. We were created just for you! Eriol-sama harvested your blood and made us." one said, this one immediately becoming identified as Nova.

"And who are the rest?" Yukito asked, keeping his sword inside his glove gem.

"I am Kokuyo, your shadow. I was created for you, Yukito." The only male among the four shadows said, with a wicked sneer.

"And I am Tenou. I was created from Fuu's blood." A green-haired one said, with a slight laugh.

"My name's Kaioh, and Umi is the one I came from." The last one said, smiling as she knocked the non-Magic Knights out of the circle.

"And now, you will die." Kokuyo whispered, in a voice filled with hate. With that said, a desperate battle for survival began. 


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six: The Sun Mashin

Presea sighed as she finished Sakura's sword. It was a work that only matched the other Magic Knights' swords in beauty.

"Wow…………………." Sakura murmured, as the sword floated over to her and landed lightly in her outstretched hands.

"Now you have the key to your Mashin. That is a sword only you can use, Sakura." Presea said, as Sakura tested the sword's weight and tried a few swings. 

"Arigato, Presea!" Sakura chirped, thrilled with her new sword.

"You're very welcome." Presea said, pleasurably. Then, suddenly, a mighty blast sounded, and shook the castle to its foundations. Before either one of them could move, a huge piece of the Creation Room's ceiling broke away and fell towards the two frightened women. 

"Move!" a man's voice, this one Sakura recognized as being Eagle's, shouted, as he grabbed both of them and moved them out of the way. When the dust had settled, they all sat up from where they had ended up.

"Eagle-chan!" Sakura yelped, when she saw blood trickling down his face from a cut on his brow.

"Sakura, you must hurry and get to the meeting hall. Yukito and the others are in danger." Eagle said, ignoring the pain in his head as he spoke.

"But where is it? This castle's so huge!" Sakura replied, helplessly.

"Mokona will show you the way. Madoushi Clef is already on his way. I'll remain in the halls and see if any more people need help. Go now, before things go for the worse for your friends." Eagle said, as he helped both Sakura and Presea stand. With a silent nod, Sakura ran off, with a just arrived Mokona in the lead.

"Why didn't you go with her? The Magic Knights might need your help." Presea said, questioning Eagle's sanity at sending the inexperienced Magic Knight to help the accomplished ones.

"This is her fight. At the moment, I am not allowed to interfere. A silent witness is watching over her, and it wants to see if she is worthy." Eagle replied, with grim certainty.

"A silent witness?" Presea asked, confused.

"You'll soon see what I mean. But for now, are you the one who forged the Magic Knights' swords?" Eagle asked.

"Yes I am. In fact, I have just finished making the sword for the Sun Knight." Presea replied, still confused as to where this was going.

"I see. Then Sakura is about to grow up very fast. This is her test." Eagle said, then sighed at how enigmatic he now sounded. 

"You mean the Sun Mashin is somewhere in this castle? And we didn't even know?" Presea queried, stunned at this sudden revelation. 

"Exactly." Eagle replied, glad that he didn't have to be mysterious any more.

Yukito yelped as crystal shards found their way into his side and gagged as one buried itself in his stomach. Things were not going well for the four Magic Knights. All of them were badly hurt, and the floor was treacherous from all the blood that had been spilled. 

"I don't know………………………how long we can continue……………….like this." Yukito gasped, as he willed his barrier into existence around them.

"We must not give up! We didn't come through all those battles just to die here! Our loved ones are counting on us!" Hikaru stubbornly said, holding her left arm to stem the bleeding in it. 

"Still, how will we be able to fight them? Their powers are overwhelming! Every time we use an attack spell, they turn it back on us." Umi said, with hopelessness in her already pain-filled eyes.

"That is true, Umi-san, but Hikaru-san is right. We can't give up here, not when we have our loved ones here and on earth to think about." Fuu said, vaguely aware of the spells that were being hurled at the shadows' barrier, proving that Clef, Lantis and the others were trying to get them out.

"That's right." Yukito agreed, softly, wincing against the intense pain he was experiencing. 

"Minna!" Sakura's voice suddenly cried, from beyond the barrier.

"Sakura-chan……………………." Yukito murmured, as he sat up, holding his stomach wound closed with his right hand as he did so.

"Sakura-chan! Be careful!" Hikaru shouted, before another onslaught forced the four within the barrier to shield themselves.

"**_Legendary Magic Knight._**" A voice said, from all around them. Sakura was immediately captivated by the voice.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked, as golden sunlight coalesced into a form that floated above them.

"**_I am known as Kohaku, Mashin of the Sun. I have been waiting countless ages for you._**" The vision, that of which was in the shape of a golden, cheetah-like cat, said.

"Mashin of the Sun? You've been waiting for me?" Sakura asked, confused.

"**_Magic Knight, show unto me the strength of thine heart. Prove unto me that you are worthy of donning me and becoming a true Magic Knight._**" Kohaku said, before disappearing from sight.

"Sakura! Look out!" Lantis shouted, as a whole onslaught of black crystal daggers flew her way. 

"Hoee!" Sakura yelped, before somersaulting into the air and landing just in front of the other Magic Knights. 

"Sakura-san! Move! If you don't, they'll kill you!" Fuu shouted, suddenly realizing why Sakura had leaped away from her previous spot.

"I can't just leave you! I have barely even gotten to know you and Umi-chan! I want to see why Yukito-san trusts you so much and learn to trust you too!" Sakura replied, stubbornly. 

"So, another Magic Knight to kill, eh? Well, let's see how long she remains standing." Kokuyo sneered, as he and the other three shadows unleashed a fresh attack. But, before the attack could even strike, Sakura unleashed an attack of her own.

"Solar Rage!" Sakura shouted, destroying the crystal attack with little effort at all on her part.

"I think we're in trouble………………" Nova muttered, as anger entered Sakura's eyes and she swiped at them with her sword, unleashing a massive wave of golden energy.

"I'm outta here!" Kokuyo screamed, before teleporting away. 

"Wait for us, you coward!" Nova shouted after him, as she too disappeared. Kaioh and Tenou weren't as fortunate. With twin screams of pain, both shadows were obliterated by the light.

"Way to go, Sakura-chan! You did it!" Hikaru shouted, enthusiastically. Sakura smiled in response, as the shadows' barrier at last fell, allowing worried friends to approach them.

"**_Legendary Magic Knight, I have now seen the strength of thine heart and have found you worthy of donning me. You are ready._**" Kohaku said, as Sakura and her fellow Knights were engulfed in golden light. Yukito sighed as he felt the gentle warmth flow through him, healing his wounds and those of Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi. When the light had faded, Sakura stood in not her third, but in her final armor!

"She's become a Magic Knight even faster than we did." Umi muttered, as Sakura looked over her new armor in astonishment. Even her sword had changed, becoming more beautiful than it had been only moments before.

"Unbelievable. She's gone from novice to accomplished in one day." Clef muttered, mostly to himself.

"And now the real trials begin; actually finding Ferio, preventing yet another war with Autozam, and seeing what's driven Eriol off his rocker." Kerberos said, as he watched the now five Magic Knights regroup. 

"Yes, but where do we even begin to search for Ferio? The location of the Earth Shrine has been lost for generations." Clef said, as he watched the five approach him. 

"I think I might know where to look." Eagle said, as he entered the room.

"Then here's an idea; Eagle and Fuu will go and search for the Earth Shrine. Yukito and Sakura will patrol the skies for the Autozamian ship, and Hikaru and Umi will remain here in case Eriol decides to attack the castle." Innouva suggested, quietly.

"Eriol is after Sakura, and he will continue trying to get her, if he isn't stopped. I suggest that Hikaru and Umi patrol the skies, while Yukito and Sakura remain close to the castle." Clow Reed said, breaking his silence for the first time that day. Eagle then turned to Fuu.

"Well, Fuu? When do you want to leave?" Eagle asked, gently.

"Now, if possible." Fuu replied, anxious for the safety of her loved one. Eagle nodded.

"Fuu-chan, be careful." Hikaru said, with some worry on her face.

"Yeah, don't get hurt out there." Umi added, as they hugged their friend.

"Don't worry, Fuu-san, you'll find him." Yukito said, with confidence in his voice.

"And we'll hold the fort here till you return!" Sakura chirped, managing to get a small smile from Fuu.

"Thank you, everyone!" Fuu said, as she and Eagle departed.

"And we still haven't even had time to catch up! Oh well, maybe later." Caldina muttered, as she watched the other Magic Knights leave as well. 

Author's Note!

Urgh……………….I hate the way this chapter came out, but I'm too lazy to go back and change it! If anyone has any ideas on how this should continue, please e-mail me! I would really appreciate it! Thanks!

Gemini


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